Sport Ball With An Inflation-Retention Bladder

ABSTRACT

A sport ball may include a casing, a bladder, and a valve. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing for enclosing a pressurized fluid, and the bladder may be formed from a material that includes a first layer of thermoplastic polymer material and a second layer of a barrier material. The valve is for introducing the fluid to the bladder, and the valve is secured to the bladder and accessible from an exterior of the casing. A tie layer may be located between the flange and a surface of the bladder to join the flange to the bladder.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of Berggren et al., U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. 2012/0283055, published on Nov. 8, 2012, andentitled “Sport Ball with an Inflation-Retention Bladder,” the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

A variety of inflatable sport balls, such as a soccer ball, football,and basketball, conventionally incorporate a layered structure thatincludes a casing, a restriction structure, and a bladder. The casingforms an exterior layer of the sport ball and is generally formed from adurable, wear-resistant material. In soccer balls and footballs, forexample, the panels may be joined together along abutting edges (e.g.,with stitching or adhesives). In basketballs, for example, the panelsmay be secured to the exterior surface of a rubber covering for therestriction structure and bladder. The restriction structure forms amiddle layer of the sport ball and is positioned between the bladder andthe casing to restrict expansion of the bladder. The bladder, whichgenerally has an inflatable configuration, is located within therestriction structure to provide an inner layer of the sport ball. Inorder to facilitate inflation (i.e., with air), the bladder generallyincludes a valved opening that extends through each of the restrictionstructure and casing, thereby being accessible from an exterior of thesport ball.

SUMMARY

A sport ball is disclosed below as including a casing, a bladder, and avalve. The casing forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of theball. The bladder is located within the casing for enclosing apressurized fluid, and the bladder is formed from a material thatincludes a first layer of thermoplastic polymer material and a secondlayer of a barrier material. The valve is for introducing the fluid tothe bladder, and the valve is secured to the bladder and accessible froman exterior of the casing.

A method of manufacturing a sport ball is also disclosed below. Themethod includes providing a bladder at least partially formed from afirst thermoplastic polymer material. A valve at least partially formedfrom a second thermoplastic polymer material is also provided. The valveis thermal bonded to the bladder, and the bladder and at least a portionof the valve are located within a casing.

The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of theinvention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. Togain an improved understanding of the advantages and features ofnovelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptivematter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate variousconfigurations and concepts related to the invention.

FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS

The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will bebetter understood when read in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first sport ball.

FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the first sport ball.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bladder of the first sport ball.

FIGS. 4A-4E are perspective views of additional configurations of thebladder.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a first configuration of a portion ofthe bladder and a valve of the first sport ball.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the first configuration of theportion of the bladder and the valve.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, as defined by section line 7 in FIG.5, of the first configuration of the portion of the bladder and thevalve.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second configuration of the portion ofthe bladder and the valve.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the second configuration ofthe portion of the bladder and the valve.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view, as defined by section line 10 in FIG.8, of the second configuration of the portion of the bladder and thevalve.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a third configuration of the portion ofthe bladder and the valve.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the third configuration ofthe portion of the bladder and the valve.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view, as defined by section line 13 in FIG.11, of the third configuration of the portion of the bladder and thevalve.

FIGS. 14A-14E are detailed cross-sectional views of the bladder, asdefined in FIG. 7.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a second sport ball.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a bladder of the second sport ball.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a third sport ball.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the third sport ball,as defined by section line 18 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a mold utilized in manufacturing thethird sport ball.

FIG. 20 is an exploded perspective view of the mold.

FIGS. 21A-21F are schematic perspective views of a manufacturing processfor forming the third sport ball.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a portion of a bladder from the thirdsport ball and a valve.

FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view of the portion of the bladderfrom the third sport ball and the valve.

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view, as defined by section line 24 in FIG.22, of the portion of the bladder from the third sport ball and thevalve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose variousconfigurations of sport balls, including a soccer ball, a football forAmerican football, and a basketball. The concepts discussed herein may,however, be applied to a variety of other sport balls having inflatableor gas-retaining configurations, including footballs for rugby,volleyballs, water polo balls, exercise or medicine balls, playgroundballs, beach balls, and tennis balls, for example. Accordingly, theconcepts discussed herein apply to a variety of sport ballconfigurations.

First Sport Ball Configuration

A sport ball 10 having the configuration of a soccer ball is depicted inFIGS. 1 and 2. Sport ball 10 has a layered structure that includes acasing 20, a restriction structure 30, and a bladder 40. In addition,sport ball 10 includes a valve 50. Casing 20 forms an exterior of sportball 10 and is generally formed from various panels 21 that arestitched, bonded, or otherwise joined together along abutting sides oredges to form a plurality of seams 22 on an exterior surface of sportball 10. Panels 21 are depicted as having the shapes of equilateralhexagons and equilateral pentagons. In further configurations of sportball 10, however, panels 21 may have non-equilateral shapes, panels 21may have concave or convex edges, and selected panels 21 may be formedintegral with adjacent panels 21 to form bridged panels that reduce thenumber of seams 22, for example. Panels 21 may also have a variety ofother shapes (e.g., triangular, square, rectangular, trapezoidal, round,oval, non-geometrical) that combine in a tessellation-type manner toform casing 20, and panels 21 may also exhibit non-regular ornon-geometrical shapes. In other configurations, casing 20 may have aseamless structure (i.e., where all of seams 22 are absent). Thematerials selected for casing 20 may be leather, synthetic leather,polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, or other materials that are generallydurable and wear-resistant. In some configurations, each of panels 21may have a layered configuration that combines two or more materials.For example, an exterior portion of each panel 21 may be a syntheticleather layer, a middle portion of each panel 21 may be a polymer foamlayer, and a interior portion of each panel 21 may be a textile layer.Accordingly, the construction of casing 20 may vary significantly toinclude a variety of configurations and materials.

Restriction structure 30 forms a middle layer of sport ball 10 and ispositioned between casing 20 and bladder 40. In general, restrictionstructure 30 is formed from materials with a limited degree of stretchin order to restrict expansion of bladder 40, but may have a variety ofconfigurations or purposes. As examples, restriction structure 30 may beformed from (a) a thread, yarn, or filament that is repeatedly woundaround bladder 40 in various directions to form a mesh that coverssubstantially all of bladder 40, (b) a plurality of generally flat orplanar textile elements stitched together to form a structure thatextends around bladder 40, (c) a plurality of generally flat or planartextile strips that are impregnated with latex and placed in anoverlapping configuration around bladder 40, or (d) a substantiallyseamless spherically-shaped textile. In some configurations of sportball 10, restriction structure 30 may also be bonded, joined, orotherwise incorporated into either of casing 20 and bladder 40, orrestriction structure 30 may be absent from sport ball 10. Accordingly,the construction of restriction structure 30 may vary significantly toinclude a variety of configurations and materials.

Bladder 40 is located within restriction structure 30 to provide aninner portion of sport ball 10. As with conventional sport ballbladders, bladder 40 has a hollow configuration and is inflatable (e.g.,through valve 50) to effectively pressurize the interior of sport ball10. Referring to FIG. 3, bladder 40 is formed from two bladder elements41 that are joined by a single circumferential seam 42. Bladder elements41 each have a hemispherical shape. When joined by seam 42, therefore,bladder elements 41 provide a generally spherical aspect to bladder 40.In order to impart the hemispherical shape, bladder elements 41 may bepolymer sheets that are thermoformed, molded, or otherwise manufacturedto exhibit a rounded or hemispherical configuration. Once molded,bladder elements 41 are joined at seam 42. As an alternative, bladderelements 41 may be planar polymer elements that are joined at seam 42and then pressurized to cause expansion and induce bladder 40 to take onthe generally spherical shape.

The pressurization of bladder 40 with air or another fluid induces sportball 10 to take on a substantially spherical shape. More particularly,fluid pressure within bladder 40 causes bladder 40 to place an outwardforce upon restriction structure 30. In turn, restriction structure 30places an outward force upon casing 20. In order to limit expansion ofbladder 40 and also limit tension in casing 20, restriction structure 30is generally formed from a material that has a limited degree ofstretch. In other words, bladder 40 places an outward force uponrestriction structure 30, but the stretch characteristics of restrictionstructure 30 effectively prevent the outward force from inducingsignificant tension in casing 20. Accordingly, restriction structure 30may be utilized to restrain pressure from bladder 40, while permittingoutward forces from bladder 40 to induce a substantially spherical shapein casing 20, thereby imparting a substantially spherical shape to sportball 10.

Although the configuration or FIG. 3 provides a suitable structure forbladder 40, bladder elements 41 and seam 42 may have a variety of othershapes. As an example, FIG. 4A depicts another configuration whereinbladder 40 incorporates two bladder elements 41 joined by a seam 42having the general structure of a seam in a tennis ball or baseball.Bladder 40 may also be formed from a plurality of bladder elements 41that have hexagonal and pentagonal shapes, as depicted in FIG. 4B,thereby imparting a configuration that is similar to casing 20. In otherconfigurations, all of bladder elements 41 may all have pentagonalshapes, as depicted in FIG. 4C, or bladder elements 41 may all havetriangular shapes, as depicted in FIG. 4D. Bladder elements 41 may alsohave non-geometrical or non-regular shapes, as depicted in FIG. 4E.Accordingly, bladder 40 may be formed to have a variety ofconfigurations.

Valve 50 is secured to one of bladder elements 41 and provides astructure through which air or another fluid may be introduced tobladder 40. That is, valve 50 may be utilized to pressurize the hollowinterior of bladder 40. The configuration of valve 50 discussed hereinis intended to provide an example of one possible valve configurationthat may be utilized in sport ball 10 and other sport balls. Theconcepts discussed herein may, however, be applied to a variety of othervalve configurations, whether of conventional or unconventional design.Referring to FIGS. 5-7, valve 50 and a portion of bladder 40 aredepicted. Valve 50 includes a valve housing 51 and a valve insert 52.Valve housing 51 forms an exterior of valve 50 and includes a flange 53and a channel 54. Flange 53 extends outward from a remainder of valve 50and has a generally circular and planar configuration. As depicted inFIG. 7, flange 53 lays adjacent and parallel to bladder 40 and issecured to bladder 40. Channel 54 extends through valve housing 51 andforms an opening for interfacing with an inflation apparatus (e.g., aneedle joined to a pump or air compressor). In addition, channel 54forms an expanded area for receiving valve insert 52, which may beformed from rubber or silicone materials that seal to substantiallyprevent fluid from escaping bladder 40 through valve 50. That is, valveinsert 52 permits the inflation apparatus to pressurize bladder 40 withthe fluid, and valve insert 52 forms a seal to prevent the fluid fromescaping.

A first portion of valve 50 protrudes outward from bladder 40 and mayextend into restriction structure 30 and casing 20. Referring to FIG. 1,for example, valve 50 is visible through an aperture in casing 20 andmay extend into the aperture to be flush with a surface of casing 20. Assuch, valve 50 is accessible through the aperture in casing 20 forintroducing the fluid to bladder 40. Whereas a first portion of valve 50protrudes outward from bladder 40, a second portion of valve 50protrudes in an opposite direction and into bladder 40. Referring toFIGS. 6 and 7, bladder 40 forms an aperture 43 in the area where valve50 is secured. As such, the second portion of valve 50 protrudes throughaperture 43 and is located within bladder 40.

Valve-Bladder Bonding

A variety of bonding techniques may be employed to secure valve 50 tobladder 40. Examples of these bonding techniques, each of which will bediscussed below, include thermal bonding, adhesive bonding, and the useof a bonding element. The specific bonding technique utilized to securevalve 50 to bladder 40 at least partially depends upon factors thatinclude the materials forming each of valve 50 and bladder 40. Moreparticularly, the bonding technique utilized to secure valve 50 tobladder 40 may be selected based upon the materials forming flange 53and an outer surface of bladder 40.

An example of valve 50 being secured to bladder 40 with thermal bondingis depicted in FIGS. 5-7. In this configuration, flange 53 lays parallelto the outer surface of bladder 40 and in contact with the outer surfaceof bladder 40. Thermal bonding may be utilized when one or both offlange 53 and the outer surface of bladder 40 incorporate thermoplasticpolymer materials. Although a strength of the bond between valve 50 andbladder 40 may be sufficiently strong when only one of flange 53 and theouter surface of bladder 40 includes a thermoplastic polymer material,the bond may exhibit greater strength when both flange 53 and the outersurface of bladder 40 are formed from compatible (i.e., readily thermalbondable) thermoplastic polymer materials.

As utilized herein, the term “thermal bonding” or variants thereof isdefined as a securing technique between two elements that involves asoftening or melting of a thermoplastic polymer material within at leastone of the elements such that the materials of the elements are securedto each other when cooled. As examples, thermal bonding may involve (a)the melting or softening of two elements incorporating thermoplasticpolymer materials such that the thermoplastic polymer materialsintermingle with each other (e.g., diffuse across a boundary layerbetween the thermoplastic polymer materials) and are secured togetherwhen cooled; (b) the melting or softening of a first elementincorporating a thermoplastic polymer material such that thethermoplastic polymer material extends into or infiltrates the structureof a second element to secure the elements together when cooled; and (c)the melting or softening of a first element incorporating athermoplastic polymer material such that the thermoplastic polymermaterial extends into or infiltrates crevices or cavities formed in asecond element to secure the elements together when cooled. As discussedabove, therefore, thermal bonding may occur, therefore, when (a) both offlange 53 and the outer surface of bladder 40 include thermoplasticpolymer materials or (b) only one of flange 53 and the outer surface ofbladder 40 includes a thermoplastic polymer material. Although thermalbonding may be performed utilizing conduction as the manner in whichheat is applied to the elements, thermal bonding also includes the useof radio frequency energy (i.e., radio-frequency bonding) and highfrequency sound (i.e., sonic bonding), for example. Additionally,thermal bonding does not generally involve the use of adhesives, butinvolves directly bonding elements to each other with heat. In somesituations, however, adhesives may be utilized to supplement the thermalbond joining flange 53 and bladder 40.

An example of valve 50 being secured to bladder 40 with adhesive bondingis depicted in FIGS. 8-10. In this configuration, flange 53 laysparallel to the outer surface of bladder 40 and is joined to the outersurface of bladder 40 with an adhesive 61. Although flange 53 may be incontact with the outer surface of bladder 40 when joined throughadhesive bonding, a thin layer of adhesive 61 may also separate flange53 from the outer surface of bladder 40. In general, adhesive bondingmay be utilized regardless of the materials forming flange 53 and theouter surface of bladder 40. The chemical composition of adhesive 61should be selected, however, depending upon the particular materialsforming flange 53 and the outer surface of bladder 40. That is, adhesive61 should be selected to be capable of bonding with both flange 53 andthe outer surface of bladder 40.

Additionally, an example of valve 50 being secured to bladder 40 with abonding element having the form of a tie layer 62 is depicted in FIGS.11-13. In this configuration, flange 53 lays parallel to the outersurface of bladder 40 and is separated from the outer surface of bladder40 by tie layer 62. That is, tie layer 62 is positioned between flange53 and bladder 40. Although the structure of tie layer 62 may varysignificantly, tie layer 62 is depicted as having a circular andring-shaped configuration. Moreover, a diameter of tie layer 62 isdepicted as being greater than a diameter of flange 53. In thisconfiguration, an outer edge of tie layer 62 extends outward and beyondan outer edge of flange 53, as depicted in FIG. 11.

Tie layer 62 may be utilized, for example, when flange 53 is formed fromvulcanized rubber and the outer surface of bladder 40 is formed fromanother polymer material. As depicted, tie layer 62 is joined to flange53 through adhesive bonding (i.e., with adhesive 61), and tie layer 62is joined to bladder 40 through thermal bonding. As such, tie layer 62may be joined to each of valve 50 and bladder 40 through differentbonding techniques.

The use of tie layer 62 provides various advantages to sport ball 10.For example, adhesive 61 may be utilized to initially bond tie layer 62to flange 53. Subsequently, tie layer 62 may be joined to bladder 40through thermal bonding. During some manufacturing processes, efficiencymay be enhanced by bonding tie layer 62 to flange 53 in one location(e.g., at the location where valve 50 is manufactured) and thenutilizing thermal bonding to join valve 50 to bladder 40 as anotherlocation (e.g., at the location where bladder 40 is manufactured).Another advantage of tie layer 62 is that it may be utilized to bonddissimilar materials in flange 53 and the outer surface of bladder 40.For example, flange 53 and the outer surface of bladder 40 may be formedfrom materials that do not readily bond through either of thermalbonding and adhesive bonding. The material of tie layer 62 may, however,be selected such that (a) adhesive bonding joins tie layer 62 to flange53 and (b) thermal bonding joins tie layer 62 to bladder 40. That is,the material of tie layer may be selected to effectively join valve 50and bladder 40.

Material Selection

Various factors may be considered when selecting materials for bladder40. As an example, the engineering properties of the materials (e.g.,tensile strength, stretch properties, fatigue characteristics, dynamicmodulus, and loss tangent) may be considered. The ability of thematerials to be shaped into bladder elements 41 and bonded to form seam42 during the manufacture of bladder 40 may be considered. The abilityof the materials to bond with valve 50 through any of the bondingtechniques discussed above may also be considered. Additionally, theability of the materials to prevent the transmission (e.g., diffusion,permeation) of the fluid contained by bladder 40 may be considered.

Suitable materials for bladder 40 include a variety of thermoset andthermoplastic polymer materials. An advantage of thermoplastic polymermaterials is that they may be molded (e.g., thermoformed) to impart theshape of each bladder element 41. Moreover, thermoplastic polymermaterials may be thermal bonded to each other to form seam 42. Examplesof polymer materials that may be utilized for bladder 40 include any ofthe following: polyurethane, urethane, polyester, polyesterpolyurethane, polyether, polyether polyurethane, latex,polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene, polycarbonate macroglycol, andmixtures thereof.

Any one of the materials noted above may form bladder 40. Referring toFIG. 14A, a cross-section through a portion of bladder 40 is depicted.In this configuration, a single material forms both surfaces of bladder40 and extends uniformly between the surfaces. In effect, therefore,bladder 40 may be formed as a single layer of any suitable material.Another configuration is depicted in FIG. 14B, wherein bladder 40includes a first layer 44 and a second layer 45. Whereas first layer 44forms a portion of the outer surface of bladder 40, second layer 45forms a portion of an inner surface of bladder 40. An advantage of thelayered configuration is that the properties of the material formingfirst layer 44 and the properties of the material forming second layer45 are effectively combined. For example, first layer 44 may be formedfrom a durable material that facilitates thermal bonding with valve 50,and second layer 45 may be formed from a barrier material thatsubstantially prevents or reduces the transmission of the fluidcontained by bladder 40. Although the relative thicknesses of layers 44and 45 may be substantially equal, FIG. 14C depicts a configurationwherein second layer 45 exhibits greater thickness than first layer 44.As a further configuration, FIG. 14D depicts a layered structure thatincludes a third layer 46. In this configuration, all three of layers44-46 may be formed from different materials with properties that arebeneficial to bladder 40. Alternately, layers 44 and 46 may be formedfrom the same material, with second layer 45 being formed from adifferent material. Accordingly, the structure of the materials withinbladder 40 may vary considerably.

In general, the fluid contained by bladder 40 will be air, whichprimarily includes molecules in the following proportions: 78 percentnitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, less than one percent argon and carbondioxide, and small amounts of other gasses. Depending upon humiditylevels, air also includes an average of about one percent water vapor.As such, selecting a material with the ability to substantially preventthe transmission of nitrogen or oxygen may be effective in limitingtransmission of the fluid contained by bladder 40, thereby limitingchanges in pressure within bladder 40. Other fluids that may becontained by bladder 40 include sulfur-hexafluoride and substantiallypure nitrogen.

An example of a material that is effective in limiting transmission ofis disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,713,141 and 5,952,065 to Mitchell, etal., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. Althoughvarious configurations may be utilized, this material generally includesa first layer of thermoplastic polymer material and a second layer ofbarrier material. The thermoplastic polymer material provides theability to form thermal bonds, as well as a suitable degree of tensilestrength, tear strength, flexural fatigue strength, modulus ofelasticity, and abrasion resistance. The barrier material is effectivein limiting the transmission of the fluid within bladder 40 (e.g.,nitrogen). In some configurations, the thermoplastic polymer materialmay be a thermoplastic urethane. Moreover, the thermoplastic urethanemay be selected from a group including polyester, polyether,polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene and polycarbonate macroglycol basedmaterials, and mixtures thereof. In some configurations, the barriermaterial may be selected from a group including ethylene-vinyl alcoholcopolymer, polyvinylidene chloride, co-polymers of acrylonitrile andmethyl acrylate, polyesters such as polyethyleneterephthalate, aliphaticand aromatic polyamides, liquid crystal polymers, and polyurethaneengineering thermoplastics. In the configuration of FIG. 14B, forexample, the thermoplastic urethane may form first layer 44 and thebarrier material (e.g., ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) may formsecond layer 45. As another example, which relates the configuration ofFIG. 14D, the thermoplastic urethane may form layers 44 and 46 and thebarrier material (e.g., ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) may formsecond layer 45. In some configurations, bladder 40 may be formed fromother layered materials, including a material disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,082,025 and 6,127,026 to Bonk, et al., both of which areincorporated herein by reference.

Another example of a material that is effective in limiting thetransmission of fluid (e.g., nitrogen) is depicted in FIG. 14E. Thismaterial includes a multi-layered configuration that has four layers 47,one layer 48, and two layers 49. Layers 47 may be a thermoplasticurethane, including any selected from a group including polyester,polyether, polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene and polycarbonatemacroglycol based materials, and mixtures thereof. Layer 48 may beethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer. Additionally, layer 49 may be aregrind or mixture of thermoplastic urethane and ethylene-vinyl alcoholcopolymer, potentially from recycled portions of this material. Notethat a central portion of this material includes two layers 47 formedfrom thermoplastic urethane located on opposite sides of one layer 48formed from ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.

Testing conducted on the material of FIG. 14E demonstrated increasedinflation-retention properties over other materials that are commonlyutilized for sport ball bladders. More particularly, the tests indicatedthat a rubber basketball bladder transmits oxygen at a rate that isapproximately 47 times the rate of the material of FIG. 14E. Similarly,the tests indicated that a thermoplastic urethane football bladdertransmits oxygen at a rate that is approximately 361 times the rate ofthe material of FIG. 14E. Additionally, both rubber and thermoplasticurethane transmit nitrogen at a greater rate than the material of FIG.14E. Accordingly, the material of FIG. 14E, which includesethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer as a barrier, shows less oxygen andnitrogen transmission than other materials that are commonly utilizedfor sport ball bladders. In effect, therefore, the material of FIG. 14Eand other materials noted above may be utilized to provide aninflation-retention bladder.

Further examples of materials that are suitable for bladder 40 include aflexible microlayer membrane that has alternating layers of a gasbarrier material and an elastomeric material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,082,025 and 6,127,026 to Bonk, et al. Additional suitablematerials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,156 and 4,219,945 toRudy. Further suitable materials include thermoplastic films containinga crystalline material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,936,029 and5,042,176 to Rudy, and polyurethane including a polyester polyol, asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,340; 6,203,868; and U.S. Pat. No.6,321,465 to Bonk, et al.

As with bladder 40, a variety of materials may be utilized for valve 50.Valve housing 51 may be formed from various thermoset polymer materials(e.g., vulcanized rubber) or various thermoplastic polymer materials(e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic elastomer).Depending upon the specific application in which valve 50 is intended tobe used, advantages may be gained by forming valve housing 51 fromeither thermoset or thermoplastic polymer materials. Valve housing 51may be subjected to heat in some manufacturing methods for sport balls,including manufacturing processes that include vulcanization. Given thatthermoset polymer materials may be more thermally-stable thanthermoplastic polymer materials, these materials may be utilized inapplications where valve 50 is exposed to relatively high temperatures.In sport balls manufacturing where relatively low or moderatetemperatures are present, valve housing 51 may be formed fromthermoplastic polymer materials to take advantage of thermal bonding asa means of securing valve 50 to bladder 40. Furthermore, valve insert 52may also be formed from various materials, with examples being rubberand silicone.

Manufacturing Process for First Sport Ball

Sport ball 10 may be manufactured through a variety of processes. Withregard to casing 20, the various casing panels 21 may be joined throughstitching, adhesive bonding, or thermal bonding. Traditionally, soccerball casing panels were joined through stitching, and this process iswell known. Examples of processes utilizing thermal bonding to joincasing panels of a sport ball are disclosed in U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication 2009/0325744 to Raynak, et al. and U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication 2010/0240479 to Raynak, et al.

Bladder 40 may be formed through a variety of methods. As discussedabove, bladder elements 41 may be polymer elements that arethermoformed, molded, or otherwise manufactured to exhibit a rounded orhemispherical configuration. Once molded, bladder elements 41 are joinedat seam 42. This general process is disclosed in U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication 2009/0325745 to Rapaport, et al., which is incorporatedherein by reference. Valve 50 may be joined to bladder 40 at variousstages of the manufacturing process through adhesive bonding, thermalbonding, or a bonding element. For example, valve 50 may be joined (a)to the polymer sheets prior to thermoforming, (b) to bladder elements 41prior to the formation of seam 42, or (c) to bladder 40 following theformation of seam 42. As an alternative, bladder elements 41 may beplanar polymer elements that are joined at seam 42 and then pressurizedto cause expansion and induce bladder 40 to take on the generallyspherical shape.

Following the formation of bladder 40 and the joining of valve 50,restriction structure 30 may be placed around bladder 40. As discussedabove, restriction structure 30 may be formed from (a) a thread, yarn,or filament that is repeatedly wound around bladder 40 in variousdirections to form a mesh that covers substantially all of bladder 40,(b) a plurality of generally flat or planar textile elements stitchedtogether to form a structure that extends around bladder 40, (c) aplurality of generally flat or planar textile strips that areimpregnated with latex and placed in an overlapping configuration aroundbladder 40, or (d) a substantially seamless spherically-shaped textile.The combination of restriction structure 30 and bladder 40 are thenlocated within casing 20 to substantially complete the manufacturing ofsport ball 10.

An additional consideration relating the manufacturing process for sportball 10 pertains to valve 50. As discussed above, valve 50 may be formedfrom various thermoset polymer materials (e.g., vulcanized rubber) orvarious thermoplastic polymer materials (e.g., thermoplasticpolyurethane and thermoplastic elastomer). The manufacturing processdiscussed above for sport ball 10 generally involves relatively low ormoderate temperatures. As such, valve 50 may be formed fromthermoplastic polymer materials to take advantage of thermal bonding asa means of securing valve 50 to bladder 40. Despite the relatively lowor moderate temperatures, however, various thermoset polymer materialsmay be utilized for valve 50.

Second Sport Ball Configuration

Although sport ball 10 may have the configuration of a soccer ball,concepts associated with sport ball 10 may be incorporated into othertypes of sport balls. Referring to FIG. 15, a sport ball 70 is depictedas having the configuration of a football. A casing 71 forms an exteriorof sport ball 70 and is formed from various panels 72 that are joined byseams 73. Laces 74 also extend along one of seams 73. A bladder 75,which is depicted individually in FIG. 16, is located within casing 71and formed from various bladder elements 76 that are joined at seams 77.Whereas sport ball 10 and bladder 40 each have generally sphericalshapes, sport ball 70 and bladder 75 each have an oblong shape that ischaracteristic of a football. Additionally, sport ball 70 includes avalve 78.

Bladder 75 and valve 78 incorporate many of the features discussed abovefor bladder 40 and valve 50. As such, bladder 75 may be formed from amaterial that includes a first layer of thermoplastic polymer materialand a second layer of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, for example.Additionally, valve 78 may be secured to bladder 75 through adhesivebonding, thermal bonding, or a bonding element. In some configurations,valve 78 may be formed form thermoset polymer materials (e.g.,vulcanized rubber) or various thermoplastic polymer materials (e.g.,thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic elastomer). Accordingly,sport ball 70 exhibits many of the features discussed above for sportball 10, with the primary difference being shape. Similarly, other typesof sport balls that include a casing and bladder may also incorporatethese features including footballs for rugby and volleyballs, forexample. It should also be noted that the general manufacturing processdiscussed above for sport ball 10 may also be utilized for sport ball70.

Third Sport Ball Configuration

Another sport ball 80 is depicted in FIGS. 17 and 18 as having theconfiguration of a basketball. Sport ball 80 has a layered configurationthat includes various panels 81, a carcass layer 82, a winding layer 83,and a bladder 84. In addition, sport ball 80 includes a valve 85. Panels81 are separate elements that are bonded to an exterior of carcass layer82. Although eight panels 81 are depicted, other number of panels 81 maybe utilized. Each of panels 81 are spaced from adjacent panels 81 toform gaps or spaces that expose portions of carcass layers 82. As such,both panels 81 and carcass layer 82 form portions of an exterior surfaceof sport ball 80. Winding layer 83 is located inward of carcass layer 82and is formed from a string, thread, yarn, or filament that isrepeatedly wound around bladder 84, which forms an inner portion ofsport ball 80. As an alternative or in addition to winding layer 83, anyof the restriction structures noted for sport ball 10 may be utilized.Bladder 84 and valve 85 incorporate many of the features discussed abovefor bladder 40 and valve 50. As an example, therefore, bladder 84 may beformed from a material that includes a first layer of thermoplasticpolymer material and a second layer of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer,for example. Moreover, differences between sport ball 80 and sport balls10 and 70, which are discussed in the manufacturing process below,demonstrate that the features discussed above for bladder 40 may beincorporated into various sport ball types.

A mold 90, which is depicted in FIGS. 19 and 20, may be utilized in themanufacturing process for forming sport ball 80. Mold 90 has an uppermold portion 91 and a lower mold portion 92. Each of mold portions 91and 92 have a hemispherical depression 93 with a diameter of carcasslayer 82. When mold portions 91 and 92 are joined together, therefore,depressions 93 form a generally spherical void having the dimensions ofcarcass layer 82. Mold 90 incorporates a heating system (not depicted)that may be a series of electrical resistance heating elements embeddedwithin each of mold portions 91 and 92. The heating system may also be aplurality of conduits that pass through mold portions 91 and 92 tochannel a heated fluid.

The manner in which mold 90 is utilized to form sport ball 80 will nowbe discussed. Initially, bladder 84 is formed according to the generalprinciples noted above for bladder 40. Additionally, valve 85 is securedto bladder 84. Although thermal bonding or adhesive bonding aresuitable, a bonding element similar to tie layer 62 may also beutilized. Bladder 84 is then inflated to a volume or diameter thatcorresponds with a resulting volume or diameter of bladder 84 withinsport ball 80. Once inflated, a string, thread, yarn, or filament isrepeatedly wound around bladder 84 to form winding layer 83, as depictedin FIG. 21A. Once winding layer 83 is complete, various non-vulcanizedrubber elements 86 are located around the combination of winding layer83, bladder 84, and valve 85, as depicted in FIG. 21B. The combinationof winding layer 83, bladder 84, valve 85, and rubber elements 86 arethen placed between mold portions 91 and 92, as depicted in FIG. 21C,and mold portions 91 and 92 close around the components, as depicted inFIG. 21D.

At this stage of the manufacturing process, mold 90 is heated tovulcanize rubber elements 86 and form carcass layer 82 from rubberelements 86. In effect, the vulcanization process melts rubber elements86 and forms cross-links within the chemical structure of rubberelements 86 to form a vulcanized rubber shell (i.e., carcass layer 82)surrounding winding layer 83, bladder 84, valve 85. Once thevulcanization process is complete, mold 90 opens and the combination ofcarcass layer 82, winding layer 83, bladder 84, and valve 85 is removed,as depicted in FIG. 21E. Panels 81 are then secured to an exteriorsurface of carcass layer 82, as depicted in FIG. 21F, to substantiallycomplete the manufacturing of sport ball 80.

In sport ball 10, for example, casing 20 is formed through variousstitching or bonding processes that join casing panels 21. Restrictionstructure 30 and bladder 40 are then inserted within casing 20. Incontrast, sport ball 80 is formed through a the molding processdiscussed above, where carcass layer 82, winding layer 83, bladder 84,and valve 85 are subjected to relatively high temperatures. Moreparticularly, these elements are subjected to temperatures that aresufficient to vulcanize a rubber material in carcass layer 82. Given therelatively high temperatures that elements of sport ball 80 aresubjected to during manufacturing, advantages are gained by formingvalve 85 (or at least a valve housing of valve 85) from a thermosetpolymer material (e.g., rubber). More particularly, thermoset polymermaterials may be relatively thermally-stable, so these materials may beutilized in applications where valve 85 is exposed to highertemperatures. Although valve 85 may be formed from a thermoset polymermaterial, bladder 84 may incorporate thermoplastic polymer materials, aswell as barrier materials, that impart inflation-retention properties tosport ball 80.

The configuration of valve 85 is depicted as being similar to valve 50from sport ball 10. Valve 85 is intended to provide an example of onepossible valve configuration that may be utilized in sport ball 80 andother sport balls. Referring to FIGS. 22-24, another valve 95 that maybe utilized in sport ball 80, as well as sport balls 10 and 70, isdepicted as having a valve housing 96 and a valve insert 97. Valvehousing 96 includes a flange 98 that extends outward from a remainder ofvalve 95 and is secured to tie layer 62 with adhesive 61. Tie layer 62is, in turn, thermal bonded to bladder 84. In other configurations,flange 98 may be directly secured to bladder 84 through adhesive orthermal bonding. Valve insert 97 permits an inflation apparatus topressurize bladder 84 with a fluid, and valve insert 97 forms a seal toprevent the fluid from escaping. In addition to valve 95, any of thevalve configurations depicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,990,374; 2,318,115;2,671,633; 3,100,641; 5,294,112; 7,082,958; and 7,517,294, for example,may also be utilized in various sport balls, including sport balls 10,70, and 80.

The invention is disclosed above and in the accompanying drawings withreference to a variety of configurations. The purpose served by thedisclosure, however, is to provide an example of the various featuresand concepts related to the invention, not to limit the scope of theinvention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that numerousvariations and modifications may be made to the configurations describedabove without departing from the scope of the present invention, asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, the method comprising:providing a bladder at least partially formed from a first thermoplasticpolymer material; providing a valve at least partially formed from asecond thermoplastic polymer material; thermal bonding the valve to thebladder; and locating the bladder and at least a portion of the valvewithin a casing.
 2. The method recited in claim 1, further including astep of selecting the first thermoplastic polymer material and thesecond thermoplastic polymer material to be thermoplastic urethane. 3.The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of providing the bladderincludes forming a first layer and a second layer, the first layer beingformed from the first thermoplastic polymer material, and the secondlayer being formed from ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.
 4. The methodrecited in claim 3, wherein the step of providing the bladder furtherincludes selecting the first thermoplastic polymer material to be athermoplastic urethane.
 5. The method recited in claim 3, wherein thestep of providing the bladder further includes locating the first layerexterior of the second layer.
 6. The method recited in claim 3, whereinthe step of providing the bladder includes forming a third layer, thethird layer being formed of the first thermoplastic polymer material,and wherein the second layer is located between the first layer and thethird layer.
 7. The method recited in claim 1, further includingsecuring the valve to the first layer of the bladder with a tie layerformed from the first thermoplastic polymer material.
 8. The methodrecited in claim 1, wherein the valve includes a flange configured tolay parallel to a surface of the bladder, the method further includingsecuring the flange to an outer surface of the bladder.
 9. The methodrecited in claim 8, wherein securing the flange to the outer surface ofthe bladder is performed with a tie layer located between the flange andthe surface of the bladder.
 10. The method recited in claim 1, furtherincluding forming the casing by joining a plurality of panels alongabutting edges.
 11. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the casingincludes a vulcanized rubber element.
 12. A method of manufacturing asport ball, the method comprising: providing a bladder at leastpartially formed from a first thermoplastic polymer material, thebladder being configured for enclosing a pressurized fluid; providing avalve at least partially formed from a second thermoplastic polymermaterial, the valve including a flange being configured for introducingthe fluid to the bladder; providing a casing that forms at least aportion of an exterior surface of the ball, the casing defining anaperture; thermal bonding the flange of the valve to the bladder; andlocating the bladder and at least a portion of the valve within acasing.
 13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the valve includes aflange that lays parallel to a surface of the bladder, the methodfurther including securing the flange to an outer surface of thebladder.
 14. The method recited in claim 12, further including a step ofselecting the first thermoplastic polymer material and the secondthermoplastic polymer material to be thermoplastic urethane.
 15. Themethod recited in claim 12, wherein the step of providing the bladderincludes forming a first layer and a second layer, the first layer beingformed from the first thermoplastic polymer material, and the secondlayer being formed from ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer.
 16. The methodrecited in claim 15, wherein the step of providing the bladder furtherincludes selecting the first thermoplastic polymer material to be athermoplastic urethane.
 17. The method recited in claim 12, furtherincluding locating a restriction structure between the casing and thebladder.
 18. A method of manufacturing a sport ball, comprising:providing a bladder configured for enclosing a pressurized fluid, thebladder including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, thefirst layer and the third layer being formed of a first thermoplasticpolymer material, the second layer being formed of an ethylene-vinylalcohol copolymer, wherein the first layer of the bladder is locatedexterior of the second layer of the bladder, and wherein the secondlayer is located between the first layer and the third layer; providinga valve for introducing the fluid to the bladder, the valve being atleast partially formed from a second thermoplastic polymer material;thermal bonding the valve to the bladder; and locating the bladder andat least a portion of the valve within a casing.
 19. The method recitedin claim 18, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer material is athermoplastic urethane.
 20. The method recited in claim 18, wherein thevalve includes a flange, the method further including: laying the flangeparallel to an outer surface of the bladder; and wherein the step ofthermal bonding the valve to the bladder includes securing the flange ofthe valve to the first thermoplastic polymer material of the first layeron the outer surface of the bladder with a thermal bond.